Current Exhibitions
Legacy
March 1, 2024-May 26, 2024
Opening Reception 5 p.m.-8 p.m., March 1, 2024
About the Exhibition
Legacy, which showcases 20th and 21st-century artworks, stands as a testament to the remarkable generosity of the late Dr. William D. Merwin (1933-2023), a stalwart supporter of the Saint Louis University Museum of Art.
The expansive collection on display encapsulates a diverse array of styles and encompasses various printmaking techniques, reflective of Dr. Merwin's profound affection for the medium. Artists of renown, including Jasper Johns, Jim Dine, Christo, James Rosenquist, Kiki Smith and Chuck Close, are featured prominently, each contributing to the rich tapestry of artistic expression collected by Dr. Merwin.
This exhibition, beyond its celebration of artistic achievement, pays homage to the enduring legacy of philanthropists like Dr. William D. Merwin. Through their generous contributions, such benefactors establish enduring legacies that transcend temporal boundaries, creating educational opportunities for students and the broader community. Their philanthropic support resonates across generations, shaping both the present and the future, and fostering a cultural tapestry that is enriched and vibrant.
Art and Religion
May 1, 2024-Dec. 31, 2024
About the Exhibition
Discover the rich tapestry of interpretations that historical artworks offer. At the intersection of education, culture and personal experience lies a world of understanding waiting to be explored. Whether you're drawn to the scholarly depths of historical context or the emotive resonance of the personal, there's an interpretation that speaks to you. Uncover the beauty of individuality in art appreciation. Explore, reflect, and find your own unique lens through which to view the masterpieces of the past.
The Saint Louis University Museum of Art awards four-year-long interdisciplinary scholarships designed to provide learners with the fundamental tools essential for success in their chosen disciplines and nurture the growth of critical thinking skills and practical competencies. This exhibition, created by Baer Scholar Anna Marlin, showcases the profound impact of nurturing students' creativity.
What is Christ
May 3, 2024-May 26, 2024
About the Exhibition
Christ asks his disciples, "Who do you say that I am?" Several artists, such as El Greco and Manet, have attempted to answer this question by portraying Christ as phenomena, such as light and color. We know who Christ is through the what. Ignatian spirituality emphasizes that we can find God in all things. This exhibition explores how other objects can reveal more deeply who Christ is.
About the Artist
Originally from New Jersey, Nick Leeper, S.J. is a Jesuit scholastic, which means he is studying to be a Roman Catholic priest in the Society of Jesus. Nick is a graduate student in the philosophy department at Saint Louis University, studying philosophy of art and religion. Before coming to SLU, he completed his bachelor's degree in history and education at Rutgers University-Newark and then a master's degree in church management at Villanova University. After graduating this May, he will return to the East Coast to teach art and religion at Xavier High School in New York City.
Long-term Exhibitions
Einar Hákonarson: The Auschwitz Etchings
Over the course of a 40-year career, Einar Hákonarson (b. 1945) has become one of Iceland’s most distinguished artists, with 30 exhibitions in multiple countries. He was educated at the Iceland Academy of the Arts (Iceland’s national art school) and the Valand School of Fine Arts of the University of Gothenburg in Sweden. Primarily a painter, he has also won numerous awards for his work in printmaking, and he reignited interest in the medium of printmaking in Iceland. In 1965, as a student at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden, he made a life-changing trip to Auschwitz. Reflecting on that experience, the artist said, “this visit [to Auschwitz] influenced me tremendously. I simply was not the same as before.”
While a large portion of his work since the Auschwitz visit has dealt with human suffering, Hákonarson made a series of six etchings between 1965 and 1967 that specifically referenced his reflections on Auschwitz. He dedicated the six etchings to the victims of the Holocaust as well as to all victims of hatred, bigotry and injustice. Although intimate in scale, the etchings explore the spirit of the human person to persevere and triumph even in the midst of atrocities on such an epic scale. The etchings remain witnesses to humanity’s dark side, but they are also expressions of hope that in the face of such evil, the vigilant human spirit can still triumph and prevail.
We invite you to spend time with these works, to read the artist’s own reflections on the themes in each of the prints, and to see that, in light of the many contemporary global trouble spots, the message of the Auschwitz Etchings is timelier than ever.